


Firsts - Land of Magic Challenge 1 Ficlets

by Tarlan



Category: Eureka (TV)
Genre: Ficlet Collection, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-16 22:27:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12351810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: Four ficlets written for Land of Magic Challenge #1: A New Hope





	1. Sheriff for a Day... or Four.

**Author's Note:**

> Also meets Trope Bingo R9: In Another Man's Shoes, Twenty-Four Hours to Live, Celebratory Kiss, and AU: High School/College

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: In Another Man's Shoes

It was so easy to belittle the Sheriff's job in Eureka so when Jack had finally had enough he challenged Nathan to walk in his shoes for a few days. Nathan scoffed of course, but agreed because how hard could it be directing traffic and eating donuts all day? 

When he woke up the first day he hadn't expected to see the unflattering beige polyester uniform laid out ready for him; it itched and was too hot. The kittens stuck in trees were Taggart's blood-sucking cat-bats, and there were two separate explosions in off-site labs. He had to drag one culprit out of the acrid smoke by threatening to have him redacted. For Nathan, Doctor Sandstorm turned a pleasing shade of white when he realized his 'savior' was not in fact the local, powerless Sheriff but Global's powerful Director. Nathan was tempted to redact him anyway for blatant disregard of the safety protocols Carter harped on about constantly, and Nathan ignored. At the end of a tiring first day his well-deserved Vinspresso and blueberry muffin had to be abandoned when two usually meek scientists tussled over the one remaining parking space outside Cafe Diem. Fists were thrown feebly but a lucky blow hit Nathan on the cheek, splitting skin.

"Right, that does it!" he bellowed and frogmarched both of them to the cell in the Sheriff's Office only to come up short when he found Jack seated behind his desk with his feet up, wearing civilian clothes.

"Having a good day, dear?"

Nathan narrowed his eyes angrily, ready to throw Jack into the cell with the others, when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. His normally well-coiffured hair was a bird's nest, singed on the ends. He had smudges of soot and dirt on his face, and a trickle of blood had run down his neck to soak into the collar of his uniform shirt.

And it was only Day One.

Day Two consisted of arbitrating between two warring scientists at Global, and he couldn't even use his position as Director to settle it knowing Jack would hear about it and that would forfeit Nathan the challenge.

By the end of Day Three he had a list of violations that he intended to take up with himself once he was seated back behind his comfy office desk.

He gave up on Day Four, finally admitting defeat when Fargo's latest experiment ate holes through his uniform leaving him in the most undignified position, hearing others sniggering behind their hands as he beat a hasty retreat back to the Sheriff's Cherokee... only to find it had been flattened by Henry's anti-gravity experiment gone awry.

On Jack's first day back as Sheriff, Nathan canceled all his late afternoon and evening appointments and welcomed Jack home to a specially prepared romantic meal and poured Jack's favorite beer. He even sat through half a baseball game with Jack held snuggly in his arms before persuading Jack there was more fun to be had in their bedroom, and didn't complain once when Jack mentioned his day.

He never mocked Jack's job again.... and redacted Sandstorm next time his laboratory exploded.

END  
 


	2. Very First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Twenty-Four hours to live

It always stunned him how something as small as a tiny cut on his finger could bring him to death's door. By Allison's calculations he had less than twenty-four hours before the radioactive material that was slowly making him invisible actually killed him. That was so unfair. Not that anyone would see him die unless they were wearing Fargo's special goggles. 

Everyone had left the laboratory now except for Nathan, needing to take a break and work on some other ideas. Jack had to admit Nathan was always the last one to give up or give in, working until the last possible moment to help avert a disaster. Apparently they gave out Nobel prizes for tenaciousness, according to Nathan. Still Jack thought Nathan seemed even more tense and intensely focused than usual, though it wasn't the first time. Jack recalled a mild concussion and Beverly's Virtual Reality device, and hearing from Zoe how Nathan had worked without a break until he knew Jack was going to recover. It wasn't the actions of a rival, or of a black-hearted, pen-pushing, politically motivated, egomaniacal genius. It was the actions of someone who actually gave a damn whether he lived or died.

Jack looked closer at Nathan, seeing the determination that teetered on the edge of desperation; seeing the fear haunting his tired eyes rather than the excitement of a new challenge.

Jack had less than twenty-four hours to live. A lot less actually, and it occurred to him he was wasting what little time remained on a petty rivalry over Allison that was never going to go anywhere for either of them. Allison was too smart for that. Plus he had looked up that 'swung a few things' quote from Nathan weeks ago and discovered it had a double meaning. It was a gamble, and he'd be so embarrassed if he was wrong about this but... twenty-four hours to live? He wouldn't have to suffer too long if Nathan and Henry couldn't save him.

"I've played both sides of the field," he stated softly.

Nathan's head came up and he twisted round on his lab stool to face Jack - or half of Jack because his face and left side were still visible at this point, though Jack wasn't sure for how much longer.

"You really are slow on the uptake."

"Huh?"

Nathan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Let's focus on one problem at a time... Jack."

Later that evening, now fully visible once more, Jack smiled as Vincent approached his table with his favorite appetizer of shrimp lit up with a sparkler.

"Happy anniversary, Sheriff."

Jack thanked him and took out the sparkler, dousing it in a glass of water, watching and smiling as Nathan stole a shrimp from the side of the glass dish. It was exactly one whole year since he first donned the Sheriff's uniform, and since he first met the new Director of Global Dynamics, which meant it was also Nathan's first anniversary too. Somehow it seemed appropriate to celebrate their joint anniversaries on their very first date.

END  
 


	3. Missing the Obvious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Celebratory Kiss

Nathan wondered how someone so stupid could be so highly respected. It was infuriating watching Carter stumble his way through one crisis after another, always coming out looking an idiot and yet loved all the more for it. Plus he hated how Carter sniffed around Allison like some desperate, overgrown puppy, even today on Nathan's wedding day.

Nathan figured it out as he stood in the Time chamber and keyed in the final sequence that would save this universe, but not him if his calculations were correct. He realized with a shock that all his thoughts were centered around the battered and scared man standing before him rather than on the beautiful woman waiting to re-marry him. When he thought back he realized that had always been the case, since the first time they met. It was one hell of a time for an Epiphany.

When the world didn't end and time began to move forward anew Nathan witnessed naked relief and unabashed love darken Carter's blue eyes, and he knew it was all for him. 

For a moment Nathan wondered how someone as intelligent as himself could be so stupid, not to see what was right in front of him from the very beginning. Perhaps Carter wasn't the stupid one after all. Perhaps he took that dubious honor for missing the obvious clues thrown out like confetti since the moment they first met. Time was moving forward again with the past remaining behind them where it belonged, and Nathan couldn't think of a better time to put his and Carter's rivalry over Allison behind them too.

A new beginning, which he started with a celebratory kiss.

END  
 


	4. King Nerd and the Norm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: AU: High School

The norms called Eureka's high school, Nerdville High, and it was different from every school Jack had ever known. Everywhere else the Jocks ruled the school, beating down on the nerds, but here the nerds were the elite. Jack watched as this big guy accidentally knocked the books out of a tiny nerd's hands, instantly groveling around the nerd's feet to hand them back. And let's not even get started on the Cheerleaders. They had all the right equipment, right down to the tiny skirts and pom-poms, but they flexed their minds even more than their agile bodies. He was the best quarterback the school had seen in a few years but when he tried to talk to one of the Cheerleaders, Allison, she'd shot him down in disgust because his GPA was exactly average. Norm. He saw her primping and pouting at the school's King Nerd a few days later.

Nathan Stark, destined for multiple PhDs and probably a Nobel prize according to the whispers. He won the Science Fair with a project so advanced there were universities and colleges from around the world clamoring to lure him in on an early scholarship. Jack's own Science Fair project was laughable in comparison but at least it wasn't some lame fly experiment or a baking soda volcano.

Out on the football field Jack was king. Also, he hated to see anyone weaker than him bullied in any way no matter whether they were nerds or norms, gaining him begrudging respect from both sides. He never expected to be noticed by the King Nerd, enduring the mocking and belittling of his accomplishments, his intelligence level, and GPA, and trying to give as good back. It wasn't until that weirdo Taggart, who wanted to be a Crytozoologist, burst out they were "pulling each other's pig tails for attention" that he figured it out.

Jack kissed Nathan behind the bleachers, stunning Nathan... and himself, if he had to admit. Their first kiss, and forty years later, much to Nathan's annoyance, Jack was still crowing that he had been the one to figure it out first.

END  
 


End file.
